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Food of Rokugan
Rice While Rokugani have a very rich and diverse diet, rice is present every meal. The main types of rice consumed: *''White Rice '' *''Basmati, longer more flavorful rice, brought by the Unicorn. Many find it too bitter. *''Hakumai: white rich with no bran or germ *''Genmai'': brown rice, mostly used for mochi. Rice is often used for sushi, onigiri (rice balls), sake, rice vinegar, mirin (sweetened rice wine) and sembei (rice crackers). Brown rice is used for mochi ''(hard baked rice cakes) and toasted mixed with tea leaves. Noodles Noodle dishes are called menrui and are very popular, as they are consumed quickly and satisfy the need for a complete meal. Noodles come from rice and different flours, with different flavours and way of being cooked: - ''Hiyamusi, thin and served cold in the summer - Kishimen, flat noodles - Ramen, noodles with egg - Soba, preapared with buckwheat and wheat, popular with the Crane and Phoenix, - Somen, similar to very thin spaghetti - Udon, similar to soba, but thick and light colored - Cha-soda, buckwheat noodles with green tea Most ramen is served with pork or chicken broth seasoned with soy sauce or miso. Peasants eat more ramen, while samurai prefer udon. When moving to a new home, Rokugani usually offer soba to their neighbors. During New Year's Eve, Rokugani eat a special noodle meal,'' toshikoshi''. Beans Mame, as they are known, are of an importance second only to rice. The main types of beans consumed are: *Soybeans *''Tofu'', bean curd made from soybean *''Miso'', soybean paste made from fermented soybeans *''Azuki'', small and dried red beans Azuki beans are sometimes mixed with withe rice, this is called sekihan, a very auspicious meal. Beans boiled with suger and mashed are used to make sweet bean paste, the basis for many kashi ''(Rokugani sweets). Other Vegetables Alfafa sprouts, azuki beans, baby corn, beats, broccoli, butter lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, daikon (long horse radish), eggplants, eggs, green peppers, mushrooms (there are many varieties of mushrooms throughout Rokugan), onion, parsleym peppers, potatoes, radish, sesame seeds, snow peas, soybeans, spinach, sweet potatoes, tofu, tomatoes, turnip, water-chestnut, and watercress. Dairy Eggs are primarily boiled, rarely fried and never scrambled. Eggs of chickens are eaten mostly by peasants, as few samurai enjoy the taste of animal by products (including milk and cheese). Soup The Rokugani are fond of two types of soup: ''suimono, "something to drink" and the'' miso shiru''. Suimono ''is clear soup made from ''dashi (a water stock cooked with falked bonito fish and konbu - an edible seaweed). This stock is seasoned with salt and soy sauce, but many chefs add herbs, spcies and seasonal garnishes for flavor. Chicken, fish, shellfish, eggs, vegetables and tofu are sometimes added to the suimono. The miso shiru ''is made from a thick soybean stock (miso). Miso is less formal than suimono. It is often consumed at breakfast, with a side of rice, fish, pickles and tea. When served by lunch or dinner, it is heavier, with tofu, vegetables and tasty seaweed. ''Nabemono, "things in a pot", are stews cooked in a large pot right ast the table. They are eaten mostly by peasants and the Unicorn, most often during the cold season. Tea The main types of tea consumed in Rokugan: *''Gyokuro'', the finest, a delicate and aromatic green tea. *''Matcha'', used only during the tea cerimony, powdered tea. Dark, strong and very bitter. *''Sorghum'' teas green and red, are becoming popular. The Crane devote several harvests to them. *''Bancha'', made from old leaves, not fit for samurai. Brown with an astringent odor. *''Genmaicha'', roasted barley tea made from rice. Drunk by peasants and some Crab and Unicorn. Flavorings Black Pepper, brown sauce, brown sugar, cumin, dashi ''(a broth made from fish and kelp), garlic, ginger, ginseng, honey, jasmine, ''kinome (the leaf of a prickly ash called sansho),komezu (rice vinegar), maple syrup, mirin (sweetneed rice wine), mustard, nori ''(dired seaweed), pickles, rosemary, sake, sea salt, sesame, seaweeed, seven-taste-pepper (a popular Rokugani spuce made from powdered red pepper, brown pepper, poppy seeds, dried orange peel, rake seeds and nori), soy sauce, sugar, ''teriyaki sauce, toasted sesame seeds (goma), tumerac, vinegar, and wasabi (horse radish). Seafood Abalone, carp, clam, eels, fish maw, glowing eels, goldfish, grey sand crab, herring, jellyfish, kelp, mackerel, moonfish, octopus, oysters, pike, putterfish (fugu), salmon (dozens of species), sardine, scallops, sea bass, sea cucumber, sea urchin, seagrasses, shrimp, squid, swordfish, trout, tsu fish, and tuna. Fruits and Nuts Almonds, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cashews, cherries, chestnuts, dai dai (a decorative fruit), grapes, mikan (Rokugani tangerine), oranges, pears, peanuts, plums, pomegranates, raspberries, squash, watermelons, and'' yuzu ''(grapefruit).